


Incompatible

by Kalira



Category: Naruto
Genre: Aliens, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Alternate Universe - Space, Chuunin Exams, Cybernetics, Hurt/Comfort, KakaGai Week 2019, M/M, Magic Space Ninja, Science Fantasy, Symbiotic Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:02:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22048333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalira/pseuds/Kalira
Summary: There's a lot going on in the month-long break between stages of the chuunin exams, and while Kakashi has been kept on his toes working with his team,hisstudents have not been those most affected.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Maito Gai | Might Guy
Comments: 8
Kudos: 38
Collections: KakaGai Week 2019 entries, Kalira's KakaGai Week Stories (2019)





	Incompatible

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [KakaGai Week](https://kkgweek.tumblr.com/post/185755931741), Day 7: Future
> 
> For some reason today's prompts were the ones that stalled me the most; it was at Koi's suggestion I went for sci-fi as an interpretation of 'future', and that spun into this science fantasy, cybernetics and magitech in space, put way too much worldbuilding into this for something so small oneshot . . . which I wrote late last night.

“ _Knock it off!_ ” Kakashi barked, catching each boy by the shirt-collar and tapping his heel on the grass, directing a wave of focused energy to dull the training deck’s automated responses before they could bring up a deadening field - he hadn’t set it up for the amount of power these two had suddenly brought to bear as they dove for each other.

His eye ached as he brought Sasuke nearer, his Sharingan still active. Kakashi’s own, never truly dormant even behind the suppressing tech hidden in the plate of his hitai-ate, resonated with it uncomfortably at close range.

“Put that _away_.” Kakashi shook Sasuke gently, and he growled but the sparks in his hands slowly died, the soft light that limned the bands of metal set in his wrists fading, leaving only the colours of the natures he could use thanks to the power they granted him. Mostly red, as befit an Uchiha, with a fainter tracery of pale blue-white, and the bare beginnings of other shades.

“You too!” Kakashi snapped, turning his head. Naruto bared his teeth, made sharp by bijuu he harboured, as his mother’s had been, but eased off, the deep orange lines that had begun to show through his skin fading as he relaxed.

“Are you going to behave?” Kakashi asked flatly, and Naruto whined softly, but gave him a nod, and Kakashi released his collar.

“Yes, Kakashi-sensei.” Naruto promised as he backed away, nearly bumping into Sakura. She glared and punched him lightly in the upper arm, then huffed and relaxed again, and Naruto sidled closer to her again. Sakura wound an arm around his with a murmur of thanks, smiling slightly.

Kakashi turned his attention back to Sasuke with a sharp look, and he glared back sullenly, then . . . slowly let his Sharingan fade. “We _are_.” he said again even as he did, though, with the same teeth-grating tone as before. “It’s _our_ practise time, we’ve got the final round of the chuunin exam! _She_ hasn’t, she _failed_! Why should we-”

“Sakura-chan’s our teammate!” Naruto yelped, though this time he stayed by Sakura and did not go after Sasuke for his rudeness.

Kakashi suspected it was only in part due to his own scolding, and perhaps rather more because Sakura was holding him in place. Kakashi could see the faint blue-green light showing in a few places around her bright red dress as she channelled the powerful strength her augmentations had gifted her by enhancing her nature.

“Sakura-chan is indeed part of our team, and you will find,” Kakashi said as he patted Sasuke’s back lightly, “if you _pay attention_ , that you will be better prepared if you work as a _team_. Even for a solo challenge like the one you will face in the final round of the chuunin exam. And,” Kakashi looked at Sakura as she ducked her head, her hair falling forwards and half-hiding her face, “she, too, will grow stronger with practise. Remember your first lesson.” He reached into his pouch and-

“The bells!” Naruto said. “Teamwork!”

Kakashi smiled slightly, jingling the bells but leaving them in the pouch as he withdrew his hand again.

Sakura brightened a little at Naruto’s words and Sasuke grumbled, but perhaps a bit less darkly this time. Kakashi nodded and beckoned them all in closer. “Just so.” Kakashi agreed as they approached. “So work _together_ , and we will make some progress together. Then we will end for the day, so you can also _rest_. And no, you are not to go home and practise more on your own.” he ordered firmly before they got back to work.

While Kakashi emphasised that point again before he sent them home for the night, he was aware it was likely the boys would neither of them listen to him. Still, he had done his best.

Kakashi thought wryly of when he had first been assigned his team; he hadn’t _wanted_ them, and he had never thought it would be easy, but his assumptions on which of his students would be the most troublesome, and why. . .

Kakashi shook his head, wiggling open a hatch and slipping inside, taking a shortcut to get off the training decks. In moments he was slouching along the tube that led towards the residential pod that held his home.

Kakashi let himself in and was surprised to find the lights already raised, and the warm smell of post-training tea - the only thing either of them would let the automated systems make for them in the kitchen - in the air. Kakashi had been out training his team all day, true, but it wasn’t even nearing time for dinner yet, and. . .

“You’re back . . . incredibly early.” Kakashi said slowly, stomach knotting, as he stepped into the lounge. It _could_ be a good thing, but it was very unusual for Gai to be home so early, and he had been out with his students today. Not only that, but of late he had been spending almost every scrap of time he had to spare in the medical deck. Kakashi couldn’t blame him for it and hadn’t been surprised. “. . .Gai? Love?”

Gai twisted, looking up at him with a faint frown. “Oh. Hello, my dearest heart.”

The knot in Kakashi’s stomach grew heavier at the uncharacteristic reaction, and he rubbed around his Sharingan eye, where the muscles still ached faintly from feedback-strain.

“How is he?” he asked quietly as he moved to the couch, settling beside his lover and rubbing Gai’s nearer shoulder.

Gai swallowed audibly, his jaw trembling just a little before it tightened. “They are still saying . . . no one here knows how to help him, Kakashi.” he said, soft and fervent. He turned and leaned into Kakashi a little, and he hummed, wrapping an arm around his lover. “They keep suggesting new ways to help, new paths to recovery for him, and every single one of them. . .” he trailed off, pressing his lips together.

“Konoha’s medicals have specialised so deeply in augmentation and hybrid tech that it is rather . . . all they know how to offer, I suppose.” Kakashi said softly, and Gai let out a thin sob, turning his face into Kakashi’s shoulder. Kakashi rubbed his back, crooning, offering what comfort he could. “They don’t know how to help someone like Lee . . . how to help without relying on the only tech they have, with the strength of enhancements and-” he broke off as Gai shuddered, breath catching. “I’m sorry, love.”

“I wish- _Anything_ , Kakashi.” Gai said thinly. “I wish I could _help him_ but I _can’t do anything_!” His voice rose until he was almost shouting in Kakashi’s ear even as he straightened, face wet with tears and twisted with distress.

“You _do_ help him,” Kakashi said honestly, _knowing_ it was true, “just by _being with him_ , Gai. You know you do.”

Gai spent every moment not devoted to his other two students or the short spans he had to take for himself at home on the medical deck, with Lee, whether or not the boy was conscious. Kakashi knew Lee would be in better spirits with Gai there, and had only tried to be there for Gai when he was home, and encourage him to take care of himself as well.

“I can’t- It doesn’t-” Stumbling uncharacteristically over his words, Gai slumped forlornly, and Kakashi pulled him back into an embrace, rocking a little.

Kakashi was very bad with ‘comforting’, he thought - he knew - but _Gai_. . . He _did_ know Gai, at least. He kissed his lover’s cheek. “Konoha’s medicals, those staffing the medical decks now, are too specialised, too much in a rush to advance, to always add more power and. . .” he paused, shaking his head. Sometimes more power, more augmentation, was truly so _very much_ not the answer. He had watched _too much_ be the cause of his sensei’s death, even if it had been Minato’s own choice to channel it so. “It hasn’t always been so, though.”

“That doesn’t-”

“Tsunade is coming back.” Kakashi said softly, hugging Gai tighter. He went still, and Kakashi hummed, rubbing his back again. “I heard it today. If anyone can _truly_ help Lee, it would be Tsunade.”

Gai shuddered and pressed his face tighter into Kakashi’s neck, breath hot and shaky against his skin. Kakashi didn’t try to coax him up again, only let him cling and hummed soothingly from time to time.

He hoped Tsunade _could_ help Lee, who was currently too badly damaged even to rise from his bed in the medical deck. Tsunade had thrown her focus into _old_ medical methods, Kakashi knew - she had been Rin’s inspiration in the medical field, and her precision had saved Kakashi from severe damage when the Sharingan Obito had bequeathed him overloaded his own augmentations as an adolescent struggling to adjust to the alien biology then newly grafted into his body.

If Kakashi hadn’t been in so much pain at the time - and, admittedly, rather stuck-up at that age - he would have been hard-pressed not to laugh at the ranting curses Tsunade had thrown at every other medical who had worked on him.

“Kakashi. . .” Gai sniffed, arms tightening around Kakashi’s waist again.

Kakashi made a soft sound of acknowledgement, but Gai only cuddled into him, and Kakashi was pleased to feel a little less tension in his lover’s powerful frame now. Kakashi let himself be moved by Gai’s grasping embrace, bringing one hand up to rub the back of his neck and across his slowly relaxing shoulders.

**Author's Note:**

> . . .I really put way too much thought and figuring into this for such a short piece, perhaps I will write something more in this setting later.


End file.
